The news of Li Qiye challenging Du Yuanguang quickly spread among the disciples of the Nine Saint Demon Gate, thanks to the deliberate efforts of those around Du Yuanguang.

"Challenging Du Yuanguang?" Du Yuanguang was already somewhat famous within the Nine Saint Demon Gate. After five years, he had reached the Palace Opening realm, making him a small genius. Such talent in the Washing Ancient Sect would be considered a true genius disciple!

Even the senior brothers and sisters who had entered the sect earlier were surprised when they heard the news. "Du Yuanguang is a disciple favored by Protector Xu. Although his Golden Wolf Constitution is acquired, it is still a formidable physique. What level is this chief disciple of the Washing Ancient Sect at?"

Some senior brothers and sisters who had just exited seclusion and hadn't heard of Li Qiye were curious and asked.

"Haha, Senior Brother Sheng, you worry too much. The Washing Ancient Sect is a low-tier sect that can't produce any experts. Moreover, you don't know this, but the chief disciple of the Washing Ancient Sect is a waste, with an ordinary body, ordinary wheel, and ordinary fate. He has only been in the Washing Ancient Sect for less than two days and has only practiced martial arts, not even the most basic dao techniques," a disciple said with a laugh.

Hearing this, the senior brothers and sisters who didn't know about Li Qiye found it unbelievable. A martial artist challenging a cultivator? Was he tired of living?

"Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. Truly pathetic," one senior brother said, shaking his head. He didn't even have the interest to watch, knowing it was a foregone conclusion. Du Yuanguang could kill a martial artist with one sword strike!

However, some disciples of the same age as Du Yuanguang were excited by the prospect. "Let's go watch Senior Brother Du slaughter a chicken! The people from the Washing Ancient Sect are courting death. A bunch of low-tier bumpkins who don't know the immensity of heaven and earth dare to provoke our Nine Saint Demon Gate. They must be tired of living!"

This news also reached some hall masters and protectors of the Nine Saint Demon Gate. Some shook their heads and said, "This is nonsense!"

Others, with ulterior motives, said calmly, "This might actually be a good thing. Killing a waste is meaningless, but if the ignorant juniors of the Washing Ancient Sect insult our Nine Saint Demon Gate, they will have to pay a ransom for their transgressions!"

These words made some hall masters and protectors' eyes gleam. The Washing Ancient Sect had declined, but it was still an immortal sect with a lineage of imperial techniques. Many had long coveted the Washing Ancient Sect's immortal techniques and the inheritance of Mingren Immortal Emperor. Even now, many were watching closely!

For the Nine Saint Demon Gate today, even a protector might be able to seize imperial techniques from the Washing Ancient Sect. However, the Demon Emperor of the Nine Saint Demon Gate had never taken a stance on the matter, and the elders had remained silent. If the Demon Emperor gave the order, someone might have already acted to seize the imperial techniques from the Washing Ancient Sect, let alone talk of alliances!

While the middle and upper ranks of the Nine Saint Demon Gate had their own thoughts, Li Qiye was already standing in the duel arena, surrounded by many young disciples of the Nine Saint Demon Gate eager to watch the spectacle.

For the young disciples of the Nine Saint Demon Gate, slaughtering a waste like Li Qiye was a foregone conclusion. Many just wanted to see how Du Yuanguang would torment Li Qiye.

When Du Yuanguang stepped into the duel arena, some disciples shouted, "Senior Brother Du, chop off his head with one sword strike!"

Others shouted, "One sword strike is too easy on him. He insulted Sister Li and our Nine Saint Demon Gate. He should be cut piece by piece!"

Especially the admirers of Li Yanshuang, the heir of the Nine Saint Demon Gate, were furious upon hearing that Li Qiye had insulted her and wanted to cut him into pieces!

"Those who offend our Nine Saint Demon Gate must be killed. Junior Brother Du, don't kill him too quickly. Cut off his limbs first and let the Washing Ancient Sect pay a ransom! Let everyone in the Central Domain and the entire Imperial Territory know that opposing our Nine Saint Demon Gate has dire consequences!" another senior brother said.

For a moment, the disciples of the Nine Saint Demon Gate shouted and clamored. To them, Li Qiye was just meat on the chopping block, ready for Du Yuanguang to slaughter.

In the duel arena, Li Qiye glanced at Du Yuanguang and said, "Are all the disciples of the Nine Saint Demon Gate just loudmouthed cowards?"

"You ignorant brat, my first strike will pin you to the ground!" Du Yuanguang's face turned cold, and he said menacingly.

Li Qiye looked unconcerned and said leisurely, "If you're going to make a move, do it quickly. Don't waste my time." With that, he reversed his grip on his short blade and pointed it at Du Yuanguang, saying, "Make your move."

"Die!" Li Qiye's blatant disregard made Du Yuanguang tremble with rage. As a small genius, how could he be looked down upon by a mere martial artist? In his fury, he swung his sword, which slashed through the air like thunder, aiming directly at Li Qiye's heart. This strike was filled with Du Yuanguang's anger!

Li Qiye didn't retreat but advanced instead, stepping forward as his left hand blade coiled like a snake. In an instant, he slightly diverted Du Yuanguang's sword.

"Slash—" In the blink of an eye, although the sword didn't pierce Li Qiye's heart, it stabbed through his left shoulder.

"Ant—" Du Yuanguang sneered, but his voice abruptly stopped. As soon as his sword pierced Li Qiye's shoulder, Li Qiye's right wrist moved silently and swiftly. In the blink of an eye, even Du Yuanguang didn't see Li Qiye's right hand blade strike!

"Good—" This strike was too fast, incredibly mysterious, and the blade's trajectory was invisible! The disciples of the Nine Saint Demon Gate cheered as they saw Du Yuanguang's sword pierce Li Qiye's shoulder.

At that moment, blood was already seeping from Du Yuanguang's throat, and his body fell backward. However, Li Qiye was ruthless. In an instant, two short blades flew from his hands.

"Spare him—" Just as Du Yuanguang's sword pierced Li Qiye's shoulder, Nan Huairen finally brought Protector Mo. Seeing Li Qiye's shoulder pierced from afar, he shouted.

"Slash—Slash—" But as Du Yuanguang's body fell, the two short blades crossed in a mysterious pattern, instantly cutting through Du Yuanguang's body. When his body hit the ground, it was already in five pieces, blood flowing everywhere.

"Spare him—" Protector Mo arrived to save him, but as he entered the duel arena, his words stopped abruptly.

Du Yuanguang's eyes were wide open. Even in death, he didn't know how he died. He didn't know that Li Qiye's "Mystic Gate Blade" had been refined by Emperor Mingren. Even a casually refined martial art was incredibly terrifying. Martial skills refined by an Emperor—how formidable! Though they couldn't compare to imperial techniques, they were far superior to ordinary dao techniques!

Even more terrifying was that Li Qiye understood the ultimate essence of this blade technique. Since ancient times, apart from Emperor Mingren, only Li Qiye knew this technique's ultimate secrets! If practiced to perfection, this blade technique could even kill marquises and dukes!

Du Yuanguang, underestimating Li Qiye, couldn't escape this incomparably mysterious blade technique! A single strike was fatal, a price Li Qiye paid by allowing his shoulder to be pierced by a sword.

For a moment, the entire duel arena was silent. All the mocking voices stopped abruptly. Everyone stared in disbelief at the scene before them!

Nan Huairen's mouth was wide open. He had brought help to save Li Qiye's life, but he hadn't expected Li Qiye to dismember Du Yuanguang with a single blade strike. Martial skills killing a cultivator—this was impossible unless Li Qiye was a master. But Li Qiye was not a master! This was simply impossible.

At this moment, Li Qiye slowly pulled out the sword piercing his shoulder. The sound of the blade grinding against bone was excruciating, but Li Qiye didn't even frown. He had endured far worse pain, and this was nothing!

Pulling out the divine sword, blood spurted out. Li Qiye casually threw it away, glanced at the crowd, and regretfully said, "It seems my blade technique still needs improvement. Trading a shoulder for a lesson."

Nan Huairen's mouth could fit an egg, and he couldn't close it for a long time. Dismembering Du Yuanguang with a single strike and still feeling regret—this was beyond impossible! This exceeded all his knowledge.

As for the disciples of the Nine Saint Demon Gate present, their minds went blank. They couldn't comprehend that their small genius, an expert in the Palace Opening realm, had been dismembered with one strike. This visual impact left them in shock.

Protector Mo was the first to react. He quickly moved to stop Li Qiye's bleeding and then said sternly, "Let's go!" He carried Li Qiye and left.

Nan Huairen, snapping back to reality, didn't dare linger and immediately followed his master.

Back at their small courtyard, Protector Mo said nothing, sitting in a chair, lost in thought. He wasn't pondering how Li Qiye killed Du Yuanguang. The fact that Li Qiye had killed a disciple of the Nine Saint Demon Gate was a major disaster!

Nan Huairen, regaining his composure, quickly applied healing salve to Li Qiye's wound and bandaged it.

"This...this is impossible. The Mystic Gate Blade is just a basic martial skill. How could it kill a Palace Opening realm expert?" After bandaging Li Qiye's wound, Nan Huairen was still grappling with the earlier events.

In fact, Nan Huairen had seen the "Mystic Gate Blade" before. It was merely a martial skill, and he had never bothered to practice it.

"That's because you didn't comprehend its essence," Li Qiye said leisurely, lying back in his chair. Of course, the Washing Ancient Sect's "Mystic Gate Blade" manual was incomplete now. The complete blade technique and all its secrets were in his mind.

Before this, if Li Qiye had said such things, Nan Huairen would have thought he was mad and bragging.